Door latch with slidable actuator



Aug. 26, 1958 Filed April 23, 1956 R. G. CORBIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN E):

IN VENT OR.

United States Patent f) Detroit, Mich, a. corporation of T This invention relates to a door latch, and more par- -ticularly to a rotary bolt door latch for an automobile.

" In thecopendingapplication of-James Dr Leslie en- "rtitled "Rot-ary- Bolt Door Latch ifil'ed' 'June 23; 1954-, as Serial N 0. 438,676 and assigned tothe'assignee -'of this ;application, now Patent No. 2,796,276 granteddunelS, 1957, a--novel rotary-bolt latch mechanism is disclosed "--"and claimed, including a latch actuating link member -'-'"slidably mounted directly on the latchframe forsliding --and pivotal shifting movement and having an integral flan-geportion for-engagement with apush buttonoperating mechanism. In said copendingapplication, the' axis iof pivotalmovement of the actuating member is between theflange and'thelatcll operating portion of the'actuating member. This condition sometimes force which caused binding of the slidable-and pivotal "iactuating member.

resulted in a twisting The present invention provides an improvementover *the structure-shown in Patent No. 2,796,276ir1' that *the integral flange of the actuating member normallylies in a *"plane' closely adjacent a plane containing the axis of pivotal movement of said actuating member, said-flange, in i all positions of the actuatingmember, lying on'the-same "side of the axis of pivotal movement of'said member as the latch operating and locking portions thereof." This 'constructioneliminates the possibility of twisting forces which might cause the actuating-lever to-bind. *In'the cimproved construction," when the parts are in-theirnormal position the flange upon which the-push buttorrforce is exerted is located in a plane closely adjacent aplane containing the axis of pivotal movement of the actuating 'member and in all positions of the parts theflange'lies on the same side of the axis of pivotal movement of said member as the latch operating and locking portions thereof. Therefore, there isno 'eifective force 'line extending from the flange throughthe pivotal-mounting to the latch operating portion of the-actuating' member.

ilnstead, the forceexerted on the flange ofthe actuating member is elfectively translated directly to the latchopcrating portion thereof.

Other features and advantages of-the application-will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentaryside elevational -view-of an automobile having the improved'door latch and actuating mechanism therein;

Pig. 2 is an isometric View of thelatch; .Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through aportion of the latch taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig; 1 an automobile is shown-having a'front door which is hinged to the automobile'body at-its front edge. The automobile also has a rear-door 12 whichis hinged at its front edge and which, adjacent itsrear edgeycart.-;Russel G. Corhin,-Inkster,-Mich., assignor -to-.-General ries a rear door latch 13. The frontdoor may have a latch (notillustrated) which is similar- -to the reardoor latch 13. The front and rear door-latches'are basically the same,-the principal diiferences being-that the-front door latch may include means for-locking from the-outside" with a key-and"the-:rear door latch'may lack this feature butmay include apro-tective selective free wheeling feature which is-"shown in Fig; 2 and which is-ex- *plained in complete-detail in the copending application of James D. Leslie et al'. entitled Rotary Gear-BolhDoor Latch filed November "16, 19-53,- -as- Serial'NoJ 392,266

a and assigned to the assignee of this application. Therear door latch engages a conventional keeper (not shown) 'on the automobile body and a similar keeper (not shown) is provided for the-front door latch.

Figs 2- through -6 show the rear d'oor latch in detail.

=*-The latch parts are mounted ona" frame having a' body -or plate-portion 15 which; whenthe latch' is mounted on therdoor, lies-in a. plane generally parallel to the =jamb edge of the'doonand a right angle-flange -portion 16" which-she in a plane' generally parallel to the-inner door panel} The plate portion l 'a' has countersunkthreaded openings -17 through which screws extend for securing 'the latch frame to the jamb edge of the door.

The latch=bolt 18 Fig'. 5) is in the formofagear hav- -=ing a plurality ofsymmetricaland equally spaced teeth 19. 'The'bolt-is mounted on the square shank of a shaft i 20which is rotatably mounted on the-frame plate 15. i A bolt housing21 is' riveted to theouter surface of the plate 15 and rotatably supports the outer end of shaft 20JThe 7 housing" 21 andl-the bolt ls project out of the door "through an-opening-providedin the edge thereof, and the -'boltand housing'engage a keeper structure of welliknown const ruction;" A suitable keeper is shown and described -18-and cam 22- are rigid with shaft 20 and the sh'aft is freelyrotatable in'the latch frame 15* andbolt housing 21. 3 Cam 22 has aplurality-of equally spaced asymmetrical -teeth--24"whicl r are adapted to be engaged by a detent lever 25 -to:h'old' the latch means (the bolt 18and earn 22) against' rot-ation in one direction (counterclockwise as: the parts appear in Fig. 2). The' detent lever 25 is pivotally mounted upon the stud 26 which projects: from the inner surface of the plate 15, and acoilspring 27, 'which is'mounted on a stud"28 projecting from the frame 15 has one end 27a engaging anea'r'29 on the free end'of "the detent. 'The otherend 27b of the spring is anchored on a-tab 15a bent from the frame 15. J The spring biases the 1 detentso that a foot 3il'at the operating end of the detent isyieldably urged into engagement with the earn 22.

When the detent foot 30 is in engagement: with the cam22 as illustrated in Fig. 2, the door isheld in latched ---position'when closed. Of course, if thedoor is open, it

may be closed'without releasingthe'detent since the-cam and bolt may rotate'in a clockwise direction. Eachof the I cam teeth 24 is provided with a sloping cam surface 24a,

and upon rotation of the cam and bolt in a clockwise" direct-ionpthe detent foot 30 rides up over the cam surface 24a;' however, counterclockwise rotation of the latch "-means is prevented by the blocking surface 24b of the tooth-24 which-engages'the detent'foot.

In-o'rder toaopen' the door, it is necessary to'pivot the -=detent 25 in a counterclockwise. direction (Fig. 2) to free the latch' means for counterclockwise rotation. border to accomplish this pivotal movement, the detent means includes', in addition 'to the detent member 25, a multiplier lever 31which is pivoted on a stud 32 and which has a detent actuating arm 33 engaged in a recess 34 in'the detent lever 25;" Y The; multiplier-lever illalso has a .se'cond-zrelatively long arm 35 adapted to be engaged by an outside actuator and a third relatively'short arm 36 which extends through an opening 37 in the flange 16 for operation by an inside actuator.

The multiplier lever has several functions. In this latch, the detent is placed under compression by engagement with the cam, and, therefore, the detent pivot 26 is outboard of the cam 22 so that it is necessary to change the direction of the door opening force. This force is originally exerted on the push button in a direction inboard of the car, and the multiplier lever changes the direction of the force to move the detent out of engagement with the .cam tooth. The multiplier lever arm 36 also transmits and reverses the direction of motion of the inside actuator, and the lever is so arranged that it permits free wheeling" of an intermittent link which will be hereinafter described.

Operation of the latch from outside the car is accomplished by operating means including a push button 38 (Figs. 1 and 6) connected to a push rod 39. The push button and push rod are slidable in a fixedly mounted handle 40 on the outer door panel. Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, the push rod 39 abuts a flange turned from the outer end of an actuating link member designated generally as 41 and having a body portion 42 formed with an elongated slot 43. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the slotted body 42 lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the frame portion and has an integral bracket 44 projecting from one side thereof intermediate the ends of the body portion. A turned flange 45 is integral with and projects from the bracket portion 44 of the actuating member, the flange extending in a direction generally normal to the plane of the frame portion 15. The actuating member also has an integral latch operating leg portion 46 which extends from the body 42 in a direction generally parallel to the frame portion 15 and which is adapted to engage an ear 35a bent from the free end of the arm 35 of the multiplier lever 31. An integral locking arm portion 47 also projects from the body portion 42 of the actuating member and extends generally parallel to the frame 15.

The actuating member 41 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement on the frame 15 and for pivotal swinging movement in vertical directions. A stud 48 is fixedly mounted on the frame 15 as shown best in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. A washer 49 seats on the stud immediately adjacent the frame 15 and a bushing 50 is mounted on the stud, seating against the washer. Between the head 48a of the stud and the bushing 50 there is a dished spring washer 51 for holding the parts in place and for preventing rattle. The stud extends through the slot 43 in the actuating member 41 to provide a slidable and swingable mounting for the actuating member. A spring 54 normally holds the actuating member in the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the push button 38 is operated to open the door from outside the car, push rod 39, acting against flange 45 on the actuating member 41, causes longitudinal sliding movement of the member 41 so that the free end of the latch operating arm portion 46 moves against the multiplier lever ear 35a, pivoting the multiplier lever 31 in a clockwise direction and pivoting detent lever 25 in a counterclockwise direction so that the detent foot moves out of blocking relation to cam 22, permitting bolt 18 to rotate freely. With the parts in this position, the conventional resilient weather strip (not shown) which seals the door will force the door open slightly. As may be seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the flange 45 is so located that it normally lies in a plane closely adjacent a plane containing the axis of pivotal movement of the actuating member 42. In other words, when the actuating member is in its normal operating position as shown in the drawings, the flange is opposite the end of the stud 48. Preferably, the flange is not immediately opposite the center of the stud 48, i. e., is not in the same plane that contains the axis of pivoting movement of the actuating member, but is 10- cated inwardly of this plane in a direction toward the latch operating and locking arms 46 and 47 of the actuating member. Consequently, the flange 45 always lies on the same side of the axis of pivotal movement of the actuating member as the latch operating and locking portions of said member. This construction reduces the possibility of binding when the push button is operated since the force is effectively transferred directly to the latch operating arm 46 and does not have to pass in a straight line from the flange 45 through the pivotal axis stud 48 to the arm 46.

The inside unlatching mechanism includes a remotely located inner turn handle 57 (Fig. 1) connected by a link 58 to a remote actuating rod 59. The rear end of this rod is connected to a free wheeling lever 61 which is pivoted on a stud 62 projecting from the right angle portion 16 of the latch frame. On the other side of the frame portion 16 a remote lever 63 is pivoted on the stud 62, the remote lever having an arm which overlies the remote operating arm 36 of the multiplier lever 31. A wire 64 couples the levers 61 .and 63 together when the parts are in the position of Fig. 2. When the door is locked the wire is moved so that its lower end 64a is in alignment with the base portion 65a of an L-shaped slot 65. With the parts in this position, the wire no longer couples the levers 61 and 63 since upon swinging movement of the lever 61, the wire will pass into the base portion 65a of the slot 65. If this uncoupling action when the door is locked is not desired, the upper end of the wire may be moved in a slot 66 so that the lower end 64a of the wire never is in alignment with the slot portion 65a and the levers 61 and 63 are always coupled together. This so-called selective free wheeling feature is well known in the art, having been in commercial production on automobiles for many years.

The latch may be locked from inside the car by means of a conventional garnish molding push button 68 which is connected through a bell crank 70 and a rod 71 to a lever 72 pivoted on a stud 73 on the latch frame portion 16 and having a turned car 74 which is received in a slot 75 formed in a locking lever 76. This lever is pivoted at 78 on the frame portions 16 and is swingable between an unlocked position as illustrated in Fig. 2 and a locked position in which the lever 76 swings in a counterclockwise direction. Spaced prongs 80, 80a, which extend from the locking lever 76 in a direction parallel to the plane of the frame portion 15, straddle a turned tab 47a on the locking arm portion 47 of the actuating lever 42. Swinging lever 76 from the unlocked position which is illustrated to a locked position swings the actuating lever about the axis of the stud 48 so that the latch operating arm 46 moves down to a position where the ear 35a on the multiplier lever is no longer in its path of sliding movement. If the push button is operated with the parts in this position, the actuating lever will merely free wheel and will not pick up the multiplier lever or the detent.

The location of the flange 45 on the actuating member where it always lies on the same side of the axis of pivotal movement of the actuating member as the latch operating and locking portions thereof prevents binding or jambing of the parts both in locked and unlocked position.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means movably mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; an actuating member having a planar body portion lying parallel to said frame body and adapted to engage said detent means and an integral flange extending generally normal to said frame body; means for mounting said actuating member for sliding and pivoting movement on said frame, the integral flange of said actuating member normally lying in a plane closely adjacent a plane in which the axis of pivotal movement of said member extends; outside operating means for engaging said flange to slide said actuating member and move the detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and means for swinging said actuating member to move the latch operating portion thereof out of operative relationship with said detent means.

2. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means movably mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; an actuating member having a planar body portion lying parallel to said frame body and terminating in an integral latch operating portion adapted to engage said detent means and an integral flange extending generally normal to said frame; means for mounting said actuating member for sliding and pivoting movement on said frame, the integral flange of said actuating member always lying on the same side of the axis of pivotal movement of said member as the latch operating portion thereof; operating means for engaging said flange to slide said actuating member and move the detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and means for swinging said actuating member to move the latch operating portion thereof out of operative relationship with said detent means.

3. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means movably mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; an actuating member having a planar body portion lying parallel to said frame body and terminating in an integral latch operating portion adapted to engage said detent means, an integral locking portion extending generally parallel to said frame body, and an integral flange extending generally normal to said frame body; means for mounting said actuating member for sliding and pivoting movement on said frame body, the integral flange of said actuating member normally lying in a plane closely adjacent a plane in which the axis of pivotal movement of said member extends; push button means including a push rod directly engageable with said flange to slide said actuating member and move said detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and a locking lever mounted on said frame, said lever being operative upon the locking portion of said actuating member for swinging said actuating member to move the latch "operating portion thereof out of operative relationship with said detent means.

4. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means pivotally mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; an actuating member having a planar body portion lying parallel to said frame body and terminating in an integral latch operating arm adapted to engage said detent means, an integral locking portion adjacent said arm and extending generally parallel to said frame body, and an integral flange extending generally normal to said frame body; means including a stud on the frame body and a slot in the actuating member for mounting said actuating memher for sliding and pivotal movement on said frame body, the integral flange of said actuating member always lying on the same side of the axis of said stud as the latch operating and locking portions of the actuating member; a push button operated push rod directly engaging said flange to slide said actuating member and move said detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and a locking lever mounted on said frame, said lever being adapted to engage the locking portion of said actuating member to swing the actuating member about said stud and move the latch operating portion of the member out of operative relationship with said detent means.

5. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 4, wherein said flange normally overlies said stud.

6. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means movably mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; an actuating member having a slotted body portion lying generally parallel to said frame body, an integral latch operating portion projecting from said body portion at one end therof and extending parallel to said frame and adapted to engage said detent means, and an integral flange projecting from said body portion and extending generally normal to said frame; a stud projecting from said frame body and extending through said slot for mounting said actuating member for sliding and pivoting movement on said frame body, the integral flange of said actuating member normally overlying said stud and being in a plane closely adjacent the plane in which the axis of said stud extends; operating means for engaging said flange to slide said actuating member and move said detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and means for swinging said actuating member to move the latch actuating portion thereof out of operative relationship with the detent means.

7. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame having a body lying in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door; latch means rotatably mounted on said frame body; detent means pivotally mounted on said frame body and normally engaging said latch means for holding the latch means against rotation in one direction; a spring urging said detent means into engagement with said latch means; an actuating member having a slotted body portion lying parallel to said frame body, an integral latch operating portion projecting from said body portion at one end thereof and extending parallel to said frame for engagement with said detent means, an integral locking portion extending parallel to said frame body, and an integral flange extending at a right angle to said frame body; a stud projecting from said frame and extending through said slot for mounting the actuating member for sliding and pivoting movement on said frame body, the integral flange of said actuating member overlying said stud when in normal position and always lying on the same side i of the axis of pivotal movement of said member as the latch operating and locking portions thereof; push button means including a push rod directly engageable with said flange for sliding said actuating member upon operation of the push button to move said detent means out of engagement with said latch means; and a locking lever mounted on said frame, said lever being operative upon the locking portion of said actuating member for swinging said actuating member to move the latch operating portion thereof out of operating relationship with the detent means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,249,018 Marple et al. July 15, 1941 

